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CONTENTSPreface 3Introduction 41. The Souls Plan 5 Return to Holism—Astrologys Spiritual Gifts—Astrology and Reincarnation—Fate and Free Will—Choosing the Chart—Karma—Reading the Karmic Debt—Delineating the Twelfth House2. The Life Task and the Life Lesson 22 The Moons Nodes—The Chart Themes—The Life Task—The North Node in the Houses and Signs—The North Node in the Signs—The Life Lesson—Saturn and the South Node in the Signs—Saturn in the Houses and Signs—The South Node in the Houses and Signs— The Six Nodal Axes—Synthesizing the Information in the Chart—Twins and Astrology3. The Evolution of the Signs 55 Evolution and the Signs—The Seven Roles—The Relationship Between the Roles and the Signs—The Talents of Each Role—The Tendencies that May Need Balancing—Evolution and the Elements—The Cycles—The Elements in the Cycles4. The Role and Origin of Aspects in the Chart 85 The Four Roles—The Conjunction, Sextile, Trine, Opposition, Square, and Inconjunct— Aspects that Originate in Past Lives—Aspects with the Outer Planets—Aspects that Describe Psychological Complexes—Aspects that Describe Events—Aspects that Describe Gifts5. The Moon, the Emotions, and the Early Environment 113 The Twelve Emotional Styles—Soft Aspects Between the Outer Planets and the Moon— Hard Aspects Between the Outer Planets and the Moon—The Moon Signs and the Early Environment—Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, and the Early EnvironmentConclusion 138Bibliography 140About the Author 141 2

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PREFACESome of the information in this book was obtained by non-ordinary means. By that, I mean that theapproach presented in this book was received intuitively. But more than that, much of theinformation about the charts relationship to past lives was obtained from channeling. Today thismethod of acquiring information is not nearly as mysterious or as suspect as even a few years ago,although it is still not routinely accepted. In fact, I would not be surprised if much of what we knowabout astrology came from supernatural sources when humanity was in its infancy. This cannot beproven, of course, but information from intuitives has often contributed to our knowledge andunderstanding. Today astrology is being rapidly transformed. It is being elevated from its former fortunetellingstatus to the psycho-spiritual tool it was meant to be. This is occurring through the infusion of newinformation, particularly through the intuition of astrologers and the diligent attention of manypsychologists. Much of what is presented in these pages is new. It is up to you to evaluate theseideas, which have proven to me the profundity of astrology. I welcome hearing about yourdiscoveries, for that is how the body of astrological knowledge will evolve with the times.Note: I apologize for not always finding a way to avoid the pronoun "he" when I meant "he orshe." I am not comfortable using this pronoun alone, but sometimes it was too cumbersome torefer to both genders. 3

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INTRODUCTIONAstrology has reemerged after long being misused, misunderstood, and maligned. It is returning fullforce in this New Age, to be applied at last as it was meant to be—as a tool for understanding thesouls path and the personality, the souls vehicle. Using astrology as a fortunetelling device is nolonger acceptable if we are to face our lives responsibly. It is unacceptable to sit back assured thatsomething will go our way because astrology says so. Nor is it acceptable to shrink back in fear,feeling hopeless in the face of fate. Both stances distance us from living in the moment. We must bewilling to live fully in the present with confidence in the unfolding of our lives and free from theegos need to be in control of the future. Modern astrology, the astrology of the New Age, provides a perspective that helps us do that. Itis both informative and philosophical. It informs us of our psychological needs and issues, ourspiritual lessons, and our gifts, while supplying a framework within which to understand life. Itdemonstrates that we are connected to a Greater Whole—that we do not function separately but thatwe do function uniquely. And it demonstrates that life is meaningful, while explaining the meaningof each life. Astrologys symbols are the souls language of life. They reveal not only the mysteriesof the universe but also the mysteries of each of our lives. In studying them, we glimpse the marvelof the universe and our role in it. They are deep and fathomless resources for psycho-spiritualinsight, revealing our souls agenda for this lifetime and the personality chosen to carry it out. Thepsyche (which means "soul") cannot be understood separate from the soul because they are related:the personality is the vehicle through which the soul accomplishes its goals. Consequently, anycomplete approach to astrology must therefore be a psycho-spiritual one. What is presented here is just that—an approach that acknowledges that the life we live today isinfluenced and shaped by other lifetimes and other charts. We are more than our chart! We arespiritual beings and the sum total of all our earthly experiences and all our previous charts. Thechart helps us understand who we are today, but it also gives us a glimpse of who we have been andwhere we are going. It is part of a larger journey—an evolutionary journey. Bon Voyage! 4

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CHAPTER 1 The Souls PlanAstrology has long been used by humankind to understand himself and the universe. Early Mangazed up at the star-studded heavens and asked Why? Is it so surprising that he also looked to theheavens for the answer? It seems that this is what he did, and astrology supplied the answers to bothdeep and practical questions. Early Man felt a connection between himself and the life all around him. He saw himself as partof a Greater Whole in which he played a part, although insignificant. As Mans intellect grew, so didhis sense of importance and separateness. He fell into competition with the life forms around himand sought to control them to suit his needs. Man lost his sense of interdependence with life, andastrology became just another tool for trying to control life. But astrology, which had oncerepresented holism, can represent it again. We need to return to the sense of wholeness that we once had. To do this, we will have toreintegrate the lost part of ourselves that provided this sense of wholeness and harmony: ourspiritual Self. In fact, if we don’t do this, the human race may not survive. Our current direction isdestroying our most basic resources and the earth itself. If we continue, there will be little left.Maybe this is what it will take before we realize that we can only survive by working together. What role can astrology play in this? First, it can provide the philosophical and spiritualunderpinnings that are missing. Second, it can provide guidance about how to fulfill our souls Plan,our chosen path for this lifetime. Fulfilling our Plan is important to the Whole. First, lets examinethese philosophical and spiritual underpinnings. In later chapters we will examine the chart as ameans of providing individual guidance. Astrology reveals the cyclical nature of life. It demonstrates that we are part of an orderlyuniverse: the moon circles around the earth, the earth circles around the sun, one season followsanother. Our lives imitate these cycles, being a microcosm of the great macrocosm. We can hardlynotice these patterns and cycles without also conceding to the existence of a Higher Order, anorganizing if not creative force—a Logos. Astrology also suggests that life continues beyond death. What meaning would the chart have ifit were not part of a larger process of evolution? And what meaning would our lives have if theywere not part of a larger process of evolution? Reincarnation explains many of the mysteries of life: 5

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why people are different, why suffering exists, and why some people suffer more than others do.Reincarnation also explains many things about the chart that cannot be explained otherwise: somesigns in our charts are more developed than other signs and some patterns run deeper than just onelifetime could explain. Astrology also offers us a glimpse of the perfection and wonder of the universe. For anyone whohas used astrology for many years, it is its own proof of the existence of something higher. Itverifies the unseen like nothing else, providing a bridge designed of symbols between the spiritualrealm and the earthly one. Astrology is the esoteric translated into symbols. Astrology also teaches us of holism, that all of life is interrelated and interdependent. In a holisticuniverse, the parts synergistically combine to form a whole. The whole is more than the sum of theparts, and each part is indispensable to the whole. So it is with our charts. At the same time, thewhole is reflected in each of the parts: “As above, so below.” The individual entering life reflectsthe energies present in the universe at the moment of birth. The energies of that moment can be readin the sky and are represented in the chart. Thus, the chart is a picture of the energies of thatmoment, which the individual born at that moment personifies. These energies are like a costume donned for one lifetime to experience the lessons and developthe talents of those energies. Still, we are more than these energies; we are more than our charts. Weare the sum total of all our previous lifetimes of experiences and their energy patterns (charts). Inmany ways, we are like actors on a stage: we know that we are more than the character that we areplaying, but for the time being we dress up in our costume and play our part. The difference is thatthe actor has no freedom to choose his lines and actions, and we do. This is an important difference.While the actor lives the script written for him, we create the play as we go along. We have noscript. Our future, our story, is created by our choices. But is that all? Is it all choice? Lets explorethis further. Just how much of our lives is predetermined and how much is created by our choices? Many ofus believe that some events in life are predestined, such as certain meetings. Nevertheless, althoughsome events may well be prearranged, how and when they take place can’t be. This is determinedby the circumstances and events that we create by our choices. Free will and predestinationinterweave in our lives. The few events in our lives that are predestined are woven into the fabric oflife created by our choices and by the choices of those close to us. If you stop a moment to thinkabout the many possible choices you and others could make, you can only conclude that thespecifics of the future are not predetermined. The lessons that our soul sets out to teach us musttherefore be worked into the framework already created by our choices. The soul has to "play it byear" and wait for suitable opportunities to deliver its lessons. As a result, predicting the future isprecarious, to say the least. Therefore, the Plan described in the chart can only be very general.More will be said about reading the Plan in the chapters that follow. 6

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CHOOSING THE CHARTThe soul is the vehicle of the Higher Self, that part of us that we know as God. Under the HigherSelfs direction, the soul arranges and delivers our lessons. It does this by choosing a chart (choosinga moment of birth) and by arranging events. The soul will reenter life when the energies willprovide the necessary lessons. A soul may have to wait decades before the energies it needs to attainits goals are available. However, sometimes, the soul might have to be born at a particular time andplace when the energies (signs) aren’t quite right in order to take advantage of certain opportunities(e.g., to reunite with someone who is important to the life task or the balancing of a karmic debt, orto become part of a particular family). When that is the case, reentry can be planned so that the chartreflects the energies that are needed in other ways. One way is to reenter life with an Ascendant that would put the Sun or several other planets inthe house ruled by the sign desired. For example, if Piscean lessons are needed and no planets are inPisces at the time needed to reenter life, the soul could arrange to reenter with an Ascendant thatwould put the Sun or several other planets in the twelfth house (ruled by Pisces). Reentering with aPisces Ascendant or with the Sun conjunct Neptune (the ruler of Pisces) would also add Pisceanenergy. Another possibility would be to reenter when the ruler of the sign that is needed is conjunctone of the angles, which would magnify its importance in the chart. Once we are reborn, the soul must present its lessons within the context that we have created byour choices. It cannot follow an exact plan because the context is always changing with everychoice we and others make. Consequently, the souls Plan must unfold as our life unfolds, and thespecifics of how our lessons are delivered are left up to the moment of delivery. Nevertheless, somethings are predictable, at least at certain points in the Plans unfolding, because once a set ofcircumstances is set in motion, it often plays itself out predictably. Lets look at some examples,which show how the soul works in our lives. Lets suppose someone needs to learn patience. Besides choosing Aries or Taurus as a theme inthe chart (either sign teaches patience), the soul might arrange for that person to meet someonewhose Mars falls on his Uranus. This person is likely to stimulate the Uranus individuals need forchange and excitement and provoke impulsive and dangerous acts. This could teach the Uranusindividual to be more patient by causing him to confront the negative consequences of hisimpatience. Patience can be taught many ways. The point is that the souls involvement reachesbeyond choosing a chart to ongoing participation in creating whatever lessons are needed. Here is another example, this time about a mother and her son. In a previous lifetime, the motherwas the son, and the son was the mother, an exact reversal of current roles. In the past, the motherhad harmed her son by neglecting him. Currently, the mother, who was the son previously, willhave the choice of either caring or not caring for her son. If she doesn’t care for him, the karmawould not be balanced and her own growth would be marred because two wrongs truly do not make 7

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a right. She is likely to care for her child rather than neglect him, however, because of thecompassion she gained from her own experience of being neglected. How, then, is the child to learnhis lesson? Through love. Although it may seem that most learning comes from pain, this is notalways true. In this instance, the son, who had neglected his son in the past will learn to care forothers by being cared for. We learn to love by experiencing love. The astrological charts role in this is simple: the chart represents the personality (or energypattern) chosen to bring about the lessons. More specifically, the personality is chosen to helpbalance a karmic debt, to learn basic life lessons, and to complete a life task. More will be saidabout the last two objectives in later chapters. For now, lets concentrate on understanding how thechart in our example was chosen to help balance the karmic debt. The sons soul selected a chart that would help him learn compassion and repay the debt owedthe mother from harm inflicted on her in the past. To develop his compassion and desire to serve,his chart had a strong Pisces theme. And to create feelings of loyalty and responsibility toward her,he reentered life when the Moon was conjunct her Saturn. Out of nearly infinite possibilities, the soul must find a chart to fit the karmic lessons, the basiclessons, and the life task. However, the lessons, particularly the karmic lessons, are the first priorityin choosing a chart. In our earlier lifetimes this job is simplified because our lessons and our lifetask are usually one and the same. In these lifetimes, we are busy learning the basic lessons of life.In our later lifetimes, when the lessons and the life task are different, the life task is usually chosento fit with the lessons. This is helpful to keep in mind when trying to identify the lessons and the lifetask in the chart. One way a more specific lesson or life task can be facilitated is through a chartwith a strong theme, since it will not lend itself as easily to divergent paths. Those with charts withstrong themes find themselves following a narrower course, allowing for greater opportunity toencounter certain people or experiences needed for their growth. The Higher Self guides us through intuition. It speaks to us intuitively about our Plan and whatwe need to learn. We may or may not listen, but we all can intuit these messages to some extent.Our Higher Selves also can communicate with each other and often do when enlisting each othershelp in our Plans. But because people do not always listen to their Higher Selves and becausepeoples choices are unpredictable, each Plan is both general and flexible.KARMAKarma is often thought of as "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." This is simplistic anddoesn’t take into account the complex processes involved in human growth and evolution. "As yousow, so shall you reap" encompasses the meaning of karma better, but this also doesn’t do justice tothe complexity of this law. 8

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There are two misunderstandings that contribute to the confusion about karma: that we are bornbad and that we must be punished for our sins. Both beliefs are related to the Garden of Eden myth,which forms the basis of Judeo-Christian thought. The concept that God punishes us is a childishconception of God. Karma is a natural law of the universe and a tool for the evolution ofhumankind. It is governed by love, as is all of life, and it cannot be born of retribution andpunishment. To equate karma with punishment is to underestimate the Creators wisdom and love. A distinction should be made between lessons and karmic debts. We all have lessons that are partof our evolution. Karmic debts, on the other hand, originate from choices that caused serious injuryor death. Because karmic debts often cannot be balanced in one lifetime, they must be arranged forin the souls Plan and not just introduced when an opportunity arises, as with many other lessons. Akarmic debt may well be the overriding consideration in determining when the soul will reenter lifeand what astrological energies will be taken on. If a karmic debt is to be balanced in a particularlifetime, that will shape the chart, and the other lessons and the life task will be secondary to it. If adebt is significant enough, it may even be the life task. Whenever a significant debt is to bebalanced, it will be apparent in the chart, although lesser ones may not. Any act resulting in serious injury or death must be balanced. This is not necessarily done byexperiencing the same but by learning whatever is necessary to prevent it from happening again andby making amends to the victim. The term "karmic debt" is at the root of some of ourmisconceptions about karma and how it works, since "debt" implies punishment or retribution."Lesson" would be more fitting, since balancing a karmic debt involves learning as well as makingamends to the victim. It is true that often a lesson is taught by putting the offender in the victimsshoes to instill the empathy and understanding needed to prevent a similar tragedy from recurring.Although role-reversal is a common way that karmic debts are balanced, this doesn’t mean that theperpetrator becomes the victim at the hands of his or her former victim or that the function of a role-reversal is punitive. What follows are some stories that illustrate how karma works. In a former lifetime, Celeste was abused by her father, who is now her husband. People oftenchoose to reincarnate together to continue their relationship—even an abusive one. It would not besurprising under these circumstances if the pattern of abuse established earlier was to continue. Thisoften happens until the one who is abused recognizes that it is detrimental. The abuse did continueuntil Celeste realized that she deserved more. She had to come to this realization before thebalancing could take place. The soul often allows us to learn as much from our choices as possible,intervening to establish karmic repayment only after we realize a debt is owed. Once the realizationhas dawned, the balancing can begin immediately if circumstances allow it. Celeste pressed charges against her husband who, as a result, was incarcerated for assault andreceived counseling. He was also required to pay monetary damages to her, which helped her start anew life. However, just because the husband served time and paid damages does not ensure thedebts release. This depends on the changes in the perpetrators understanding. For one person a 9

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certain sentence might be more than enough, while for another five times that might not be enough.Needless to say, the criminal justice system often does a poor job of teaching and sometimes doesmore harm than good. Nevertheless, it is societys way of trying to carry out the souls work, andoften it does do this. In this case, the punishment did not teach the lesson. So, the soul will have tofind other ways to further the perpetrators understanding, which may or may not involve the victim.The karmic debt is not always balanced under circumstances that include the victim, but frequentlythe victim also has something to gain from further interaction with the perpetrator. In that case, thetwo may meet again. Another woman, Denise, left her husband. That marriage had been necessary to complete a debtlingering from a previous lifetime. Once the debt was balanced, Denise was free to move on. Manyother lifetimes had been spent with her former husband to balance the karma incurred from himkilling her. He was required to take care of her during these lifetimes to gain the understanding heneeded. By caring for her as an invalid, as his dying mother, as a sick child, and as a woundedsoldier, he gained respect for the preciousness of life, which was the lesson. Releasing karma is notas simple as many might think. It is never known if the prearranged circumstances will serve theintended purpose. Circumstances are arranged by the soul before life, but what is done with thosecircumstances is up to those involved. Sometimes a situation intended to balance karma fails. Whenthat happens, the individuals usually disengage and try again another time. Some think having karma with someone means staying with him or her no matter what.However, karma does not require us to stay in unhappy or unhealthy relationships. Unhappiness isoften a sign that ones souls needs are not being met, and sometimes the relationship must dissolvebefore those needs can be met. This is not to deny the value of commitment, but some people usetheir belief in karma as an excuse for not risking change. In a karmic relationship, when no furtherrelease of karma can take place under the circumstances created by the couple, it may be best forthem to separate and continue on alone. Their Plans may need to be adjusted if the karmic balancingwas an important element of their Plans, but that can usually be arranged. Sometimes couples whose initial purpose for being together was karmic decide to remaintogether to develop their love more fully even after the karma is balanced. Many of our mostmeaningful and long-lasting relationships begin this way. Having shared lessons with someonecreates a bond that often lasts beyond the dissolution of karma. Tana experienced a painful death in a former lifetime at the hands of someone who broke intoher home and robbed and killed her. This experience was reflected in fearful behavior, especially inher fear of being alone. She didnt have to meet her killer again in this lifetime, but her fear neededto be balanced and her killer needed to balance this incident for his own souls growth. Wheneversomeone is seriously harmed, not only will the perpetrator need to learn something and makeamends to the victim, but the victim will invariably need to heal and readjust his or her outlook as 10

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well. The souls of those involved must find ways to accomplish this, whether through meeting againsometime or through separate experiences. Tanas soul sought to balance her fear and build her confidence by arranging circumstances inwhich she could be a heroine. When an earthquake shook her small village, she experienced aninner strength and calm that she didnt know she had. She used this to lead others and herself tosafety before another quake completely destroyed the area. By arranging for her safety during theearthquake and by projecting her True Self to her then, her soul helped her experience the courageof her Being, which left a positive imprint on her psyche. For the man who had harmed her in a former lifetime, the story was different. He needed to learnwhat it means to have to earn a living. In his next life, he was placed in circumstances in which hewould have to work hard to provide for himself. To make it less likely that he would choose robberyagain when faced with hard work, religious parents who would set an example of honest labor andaccomplishment were selected. The last story is about a man who is trying to overcome a phobia of horses. A rampaging wildhorse killed him in a lifetime during the taming of the West. He died in this manner to balance hisyoung daughters death, which happened when he allowed her to go unsupervised into a pen ofhorses. On the surface, this looks like "an eye for an eye," but it proved to be just the experience thathe needed to teach him about the fragility of human life. If he had appreciated this then, he wouldnot have let his young child wander unsupervised. Her death impressed her with the fragility of life.One would expect the father to have learned this too. But because he saw his daughters death as herfault rather than his, he needed to learn this some other way. His soul chose the trampling to teachthis. Although this may seem harsh, death is a natural part of life and has many teachings for us. Weall die traumatically many, many times during our evolution. Traumatic death is a way of teachingsomething dramatically. From the souls perspective, death is merely a stage in the eternity of lifeand another means of teaching lifes lessons.READING THE KARMIC DEBT IN THE CHARTA karmic debt or repayment for one will be indicated in a chart if balancing the debt will shapethat lifetime. But because being owed a debt is indicated in the chart by the same factors asowing one, we cannot tell from the chart alone which situation is being described. Furthermore,since many lifetimes may be needed to balance a karmic debt, the same debt may show up overmany lifetimes in the charts of those involved. And, since each lifetime is likely to pay off a littlemore of the debt, any debt indicated in a chart will be somewhere in this process of release.Unfortunately, from the chart alone, we cannot tell the extent of the debt remaining.Nevertheless, if a debt is reflected in the chart, it will shape that life somehow. For example, if asmall portion of a debt between two individuals remains, the souls may arrange for them to meet 11

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and marry to release it once and for all. Even though the debt is small, the marriage wouldstructure and define both their lives until the debt is balanced. What form the repayment will take depends on several things. The one who has incurred a debtis given opportunities to repay it according to his or her abilities and the needs of the one owed. Thedebt may be repaid through aid of some sort, monetary or material compensation, or some othermeans depending on the needs of the one who is owed for that particular lifetime. Obviously, if theone who is owed is already wealthy, monetary compensation may not be of sufficient value tobalance the debt unless the debt is slight. If a karmic debt or repayment is indicated, it is likely to be symbolized by challenging Saturnaspects or by several planets in the twelfth house. The aspects most likely to indicate this are Saturnsquares and oppositions to the Sun or the Moon. Saturn squares or oppositions to Venus or Marsalso may indicate a debt but one that will have a lesser impact on shaping that lifetime. Althoughthese aspects are not the only indicators of a debt, this is the only generalization that can be made.The absence of these aspects does not necessarily mean that no karmic debt exists, however. Theirpresence just makes it likely that a karmic debt will shape that particular lifetime. A karmic debt or repayment is likely if one or more planets are found in the twelfth house,especially if they are the Sun, Moon, Venus, Mars, Saturn, Neptune, or Pluto. If several planets arein this house, the karmic debt or repayment is likely to play a significant role in that lifetime. Theplanets in the twelfth house and aspects to them, the sign on the twelfth house cusp and its ruler, anyother sign in the twelfth house and its ruler, the rulers house, and aspects to the ruler provideinformation about the karma. Taken together, these chart factors describe the circumstances in apast life or lifetimes under which the karma was created. Saturns house, sign, and aspects describehow this karma might be met. Although there is no guarantee that the debt will be paid, theopportunity to repay it will be through the sign and house placement of Saturn, and signs and housesrelated to Saturn by aspect. The following example illustrates how a karmic debt can be read in achart: In the first chart, the chart of a woman, Saturn is in Virgo in the ninth house opposite the Sun inPisces in the third house and square the Moon in Gemini in the seventh house. The twelfth house isempty with Scorpio on its cusp and its ruler in Leo in the eighth house. If there were planets in thetwelfth house, the rulers placement would be less significant. Given this, the karmic debt may haveinvolved an intimate relationship in which control was an issue (Scorpio ruling the twelfth houseand its ruler in Leo in Scorpios house). It cannot be known who dominated whom until thishypothesis is checked out with the person to whom the chart belongs, who may be able to identifythis relationship. In this case, the chart belongs to the one owed the debt. Next, by looking atSaturns placement in the ninth house in Virgo, we can form some hypotheses about how this karmamight be balanced. The ninth house rules long distance travel, higher education, philosophy, andreligious thought. The debtor might repay her by taking her on a trip, putting her through college, or 12

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expanding her outlook or ideas. In fact, the debtor, currently a man, either gave to her or had theopportunity to give to her in all the above ways. Saturn’s sign indicates other opportunities throughwhich the karma can be balanced. In this case, the debtor worked at menial tasks (Saturn in Virgo)to provide for her. Saturn’s aspects also describe the circumstances in which the karma is likely tobe balanced. In the womans chart, Saturn is opposite her Pisces Sun and Mercury in the third houseand square her Gemini Moon in the seventh house. As it happened, the man and the woman met inhigh school through a brother (third house) and were married (seventh house). The mans chart provides additional information about balancing the debt. Although he does nothave Saturn square or opposite his Sun or Moon, he does have Pluto conjunct his Moon andopposite his Venus, the ruler of his Descendant. Venus is in his third house, indicating the highschool relationship; and the Pluto/Moon conjunction is in his ninth house, portraying the method ofrepayment mentioned earlier. Saturn is in Libra, which also rules his twelfth house, indicatingpossible karma pertaining to a relationship. Venus, the ruler of his twelfth house and his Descendantis in Aquarius, indicating her abrupt departure in this lifetime (Uranus, the ruler of Aquarius, isknown for sudden disruptions and upheavals), which caused him considerable pain (Pluto/Moonopposite Venus). So, his chart is more descriptive of the situation that delivered the lesson than hersbecause he was more affected by it than she was. The next example involves a man, now deceased, who was married to a woman to whom heowed a debt. The husband needed to learn something, which was only possible within the context ofa relationship with the individual whom he had injured in the past, who was now his wife. At thesame time, it was important that his wife receive financial remuneration from him to bolster herconfidence and pride, which had been damaged by their previous encounter. The relationship wasdifficult for both, yet they stayed together for over thirty years. When a karmic debt exists betweentwo people, it creates a strong bond until the debt is balanced. If a relationship is karmic andrequires two people to remain together, either they will stay together without question orcircumstances will be such that separation is inconceivable. If the situation no longer allows for thedebt to be balanced, either their sense of commitment will change or circumstances will change orboth. Aries rules the man’s twelfth house and its ruler is in Capricorn in the tenth house. Saturn iswidely opposite his Sun and square his Moon, which is conjunct Pluto. This configuration supportsthe possibility of a karmic debt. As we saw in the previous example and as we will see in thechapter on aspects, Pluto as well as Saturn often points to a karmic debt. With Pluto aspecting theMoon, the debt is likely to involve the wife (if the individual is a man) or the mother. With Ariesruling the twelfth house, its ruler (Mars) in Capricorn (ruled by Saturn), and Pluto involved withSaturn and the two luminaries, the event in the former lifetime probably involved violence anddeath. This chart describes a debt in many of its factors, making its significance in that lifetime allthe more likely. 13

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The Moon/Pluto conjunction and the Sun (both in aspect to Saturn) fall in the mans second andsixth houses respectively, indicating that the debt is likely to be paid by working hard and providingmaterial comforts to the one to whom he owes the debt. Since this debt is apparently significant, it isnot surprising that the remainder of his chart provides the energy and drive necessary to make agood livelihood. Mars in Capricorn in the tenth house provides a drive for achievement, security,and status. Taurus rising and the Moon in the second house provide a drive for material comfortsand the persistence to obtain them. The Sun and Venus in the sixth house provide devotion to amedical profession. Finally, Jupiter in the fourth house ensures commitment to family. If these examples alone are not convincing, study people in your own life. Karma cannot beinterpreted easily from the chart without knowing specifics about the individual and withoutexcellent intuition. If it can’t be done skillfully, it shouldn’t be attempted. This information is notpresented with the expectation that you will be able to delineate the karma of every chart but toshow you how karma works and is represented in the chart. If you talk with others about the karmathat you see in their charts, be careful not to sound negative or preachy. The only purpose for givingkarmic information to others is to increase their understanding of their lessons and their life purpose.If it doesn’t serve this end, then don’t reveal it. This subject must be handled very sensitively.DELINEATING THE TWELFTH HOUSEThe following descriptions are offered to help delineate the twelfth house and any karma that maybe represented there. The goal is not to uncover the specifics behind the karma but to get a sense ofwhat needs to be learned. Please keep in mind that these descriptions will not apply to every chart.Not everyone has a karmic debt or one that can be seen in the chart. The following interpretationsassume that a karmic debt is indicated, specifically by challenging Saturn or Pluto aspects. Also,keep in mind that the twelfth-house factors may describe something that happened to the personrather than something for which he or she is karmically responsible. The rest of the chart willprovide clues about whether the person owes a debt or is due one. The description following each sign applies if the sign rules the twelfth house, if the signs rulingplanet is in the twelfth house, or if the ruler of the sign on the twelfth house cusp is in that sign or inthat signs natural house. (E.g., the first house is Aries natural house, the second house is Tauruss,and so on.) If several planets are in the twelfth house, the sign descriptions will have to beintuitively synthesized. These descriptions are only guidelines. You will also have to use yourintuition, analyze the rest of the chart, and talk to the person to whom the chart belongs to arrive atan interpretation of the twelfth house. 14

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AriesWhen Aries is related to the twelfth house, the karmic debt may stem from injury or death from aviolent act, often the result of unleashed anger or rage. The cause of the rage may be described byother planets or signs involved with the twelfth house. If Saturn or Capricorn is also involved, adeath is likely. Because Aries usually does not represent accidental but intentional violence, thissign can indicate some of the most difficult karma. But because karma this serious takes manylifetimes to balance and because it may be at any stage in this process, the debt indicated may belarge or small. Violent acts require a variety of lessons depending on the cause of the act, and a chart will bechosen accordingly. When controlling anger is the lesson, a Taurus, Virgo, or Capricorn Moon maybe present; Saturn may be square or conjunct Mars; fire may be absent; the Sun or Mars may be inhard aspect to one or more of the outer planets; or earth and air will be emphasized to add distanceto the feelings. The possibilities are in no way exhausted by this list. When we are enraged, we often lose sight of the value of life and our potential for destruction.Therefore, gaining an appreciation for lifes preciousness and fragility may be another lesson whenAries is related to the twelfth house. When it is, the Moons nodes are often found in the twelfth andsixth houses, and the lesson is learned through a life task of service in the healing professions. The proper use of ones energy and will may be another lesson with Aries related to the twelfthhouse. In this case, the goal would not only be controlling ones anger but also gaining awareness ofones needs so that anger would not accumulate in the first place. A chart with an emphasis inScorpio to increase introspection would help with this lesson. An emphasis in the air signs to addobjectivity would also make a healthy use of emotion more likely, as would family members whocould serve as positive role models. For someone who has acted violently in a past life, respect for life in general may be lacking andan appreciation for the value of being alive may be needed. If this is the case, the souls approachmay be to teach the beauty and pleasure of life by providing circumstances in the next life that arepleasant, happy, and abundant. An environment that is peaceful, loving, and respectful of life isoften what is needed to balance a violent act in a former lifetime. To help with this, Jupiter may beconjunct the Sun, Ascendant, or Moon, adding protectiveness and good fortune. Or the chart may befavorably aspected in other ways.TaurusWhen this sign is related to the twelfth house, stealing, giving too little, or giving too much may beresponsible for a karmic debt. Greed leading to criminal acts that caused injury or death is the mostserious possibility. Other possibilities are waste or frivolousness that caused suffering through 15

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deprivation, or selfishness that harmed someone like in the story "Cinderella." Injury caused byencouraging gluttony, spoiling someone, or failing to instill proper values are still other possibilities.These last offenses may not take as long to balance as something more severe but some sort ofbalancing is still likely. When Taurus is related to the twelfth house, the lesson also may be about values. Those whosegreed causes them to steal may need to learn that material things do not bring happiness, love, orfulfillment. One way the soul teaches this is by arranging for the individual to have more moneythan he or she can ever enjoy—coupled with loneliness. This demonstrates the emptiness ofmaterial things, especially if love is not present amidst the wealth. Sharing is another lesson that might be in order. Although a degree of spiritual development isnecessary before we are capable of selfless giving, generosity can be taught. One way this is done isthrough a watery chart, which increases empathy and sensitivity. Loving family members also helpby modeling generosity and providing the experience of being given to. Paradoxically, we do notlearn to share by being forced to as much as by being given to. When our own needs are met, wewillingly give to others. Therefore, the soul will not usually use a neglectful or unlovingenvironment to teach unselfishness but a loving one in which all the primary needs are met. Those who suffered from gluttony or inflicted it on others in a former lifetime may need to learnthe benefits of moderation. A chart that is conservative, frugal, self-disciplined, and self-sacrificingcan be used to teach this. Any combination of Capricorn, Virgo, and Pisces are likely to be helpful.However, Pisces lack of discipline may not be helpful to some. The soul also may choose a familywith these characteristics or one that is not prosperous.GeminiWhen Gemini is related to the twelfth house, misuse of the power of communication or the carelessuse of a vehicle may have caused someone harm in a former lifetime. Intent is important indetermining the extent of the karma. Unintentional or inadvertent harm is likely to require onlyminimal karmic balancing. One possibility is that the individual spread injurious rumors, either trueor false. If he or she was in a position of power with access to many people, the karma could beextensive. A prime example would be using the media to damage someones reputation. If abuse ofpower is involved, Pluto or Scorpio is likely to be related to the twelfth house in addition toMercury (Gemini). Correct use of the power of communication is taught several ways. One is by inhibiting theindividual’s ability to communicate, which demonstrates the power of the word. For this, Saturnmay be in Gemini, in the third house, or aspecting Mercury. Another is by putting someone whoabused power in an influential position. Then, if he or she abuses power again, the consequences 16

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would be great. Or perhaps he or she might be on the receiving end of someone elses abuse ofpower. If an injury or death resulted from the careless use of a vehicle because of a lack ofresponsibility, poor judgment, negligence, carelessness, or indecision, balancing will probably benecessary. However, not everyone operating a vehicle that injures someone incurs karma. If karmais incurred, what is needed to balance it depends on the cause of the accident. If greaterresponsibility, caution, or judgment is needed, Capricorn may be present in the chart. If greaterdecisiveness is needed, fixed signs may be present. The soul has ways of developing these traits,although they usually come as a matter of course with age and spiritual development.CancerWhen Cancer is related to the twelfth house, the karma probably involved a family member. Sincethe family is one of the main arenas in which lifes lessons are taught, karma is often incurred withfamily members. The family is also the most common arena for releasing a karmic debt because ofthe mutual dependency and closeness demanded by these relationships. When Mars or Pluto areinvolved with the twelfth house, the incident is likely to have involved violence and physical harm,perhaps even sexual abuse. Otherwise, emotional abuse or neglect is likely. If the chart is the perpetrators, compassion and empathy are needed, and the chart will supportthis. To teach this, the perpetrator may experience dependency or powerlessness in some form.Retardation, disabilities, and mental illness are just a few of the more extreme conditions that lendthemselves to teaching this. There also are milder ways of teaching compassion and empathy, ofcourse. The soul will choose circumstances that fit the individual. If the chart belongs to the victim,it will support his or her healing.LeoWhen Leo is related to the twelfth house, the incident responsible for the karmic debt probablyinvolved an abuse of the individual’s influence or power, possibly for his or her own advancement.If the incident involved self-advancement at someone elses expense, a greater appreciation for theneeds of others is in order. To help balance a tendency toward self-service, the chart might beoriented toward service. Another possibility is that the individual used his or her power to control others. In this case, arespect for autonomy and freedom may be taught by an experience of being controlled. Theinhumanity and immorality of controlling others becomes obvious when the tables are turned.Regardless of how it seems, this is not retribution but an efficient way of readjusting someonesattitude. 17

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The victim who has Leo related to the twelfth house may suffer from feelings of inadequacy anda tendency to give his or her power away. This is frequently the result of having been oppressed orcontrolled by others. In that case, the rest of the chart will support the development of ego-strengthand confidence.VirgoWhen Virgo is related to the twelfth house, enslavement or mistreatment of someone under onesservice may be behind the karmic debt. Enslavement must have caused physical or psychologicaldamage for it to require balancing, however. Not all slave owners, for instance, are karmicallyindebted to their slaves. The purpose of karma is to balance a wrong attitude or action. If a slaveowners intentions and treatment of his slaves were good, then little or no karmic balancing wouldbe necessary. If not, the karmic requirement could be great. A common way to balance this is to make the offender a slave or servant, which affords him orher the experience of this perspective. Sometimes, however, this only reinforces the individual’sdisdain for servants. If that happens, several more lifetimes of servitude may be needed before thelesson is learned. Some people are susceptible to seeing themselves as superior to others no matterwhat their role. They are both the ones most likely to mistreat others when in a position of powerand those hardest to teach this lesson to. We all have certain lessons that come harder than others. The victim with Virgo ruling this house may suffer from low self-esteem and difficulty being themaster of his or her destiny. When this is the case, the chart will be chosen to counteract this.LibraWhen Libra is related to the twelfth house, the karmic debt is likely to have involved a marriage orother partnership. If it was a business partnership, one person’s dishonesty, abusive treatment, orirresponsibility may have harmed the other. If it was a marriage, one of the partners may have beenharmed because of the others behavior. What the balancing will entail depends on the offense andwhy it happened. If selfishness or greed was responsible for the injury, the rest of the chart will reflect the need tobe more generous and cooperative (if the chart is the debtors), with Libra and Pisces likely themes.Chart factors that might be chosen to teach this are: little or no fire; many oppositions; Neptune,Venus, or the Moon conjunct an angle; a Libra Sun or Libra rising; or the Sun in the seventh house.Other circumstances also may be arranged to teach this, such as being born into a large familywhere sharing and cooperation is a necessity. 18

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ScorpioWhen Scorpio is related to the twelfth house, a karmic debt resulting from emotional or sexualabuse is possible. If the chart belongs to the perpetrator, he or she will need to learn empathy,compassion, and love. If it is the victims, he or she will need to heal. Another possibility whenScorpio is related to the twelfth house is past business dealings that pursued power and wealth withlittle or no regard for others. Large corporations who take advantage of people in impoverishedcountries would be an example of this, or the small businessperson who may regularly participate ingraft, tax evasion, or petty theft. One way the soul teaches empathy and compassion is through certain signs, most notably Piscesand Cancer. The soul also may arrange for the perpetrator to experience powerlessness anddependency to discourage him or her from taking advantage of others again. Although this soundspunitive, it is often the only way to teach empathy and compassion.SagittariusWhen this sign is related to the twelfth house, it may indicate a karmic debt resulting from anirresponsible or careless act. In particular, it may indicate a mistake made while traveling orexploring that resulted in injury or death. Or, Sagittarian self-centeredness may have led toneglecting the needs of others and inadvertently harming them. Since the harm caused in theseinstances is rarely intentional, usually the balancing simply entails learning to be more careful andresponsible. Life has a way of teaching us what we need to learn through remorse, other people, the criminaljustice system, or a repetition of the incident. If greater care, common sense, and responsibility arenot learned through these ways, they are taught easily enough through the earth signs, aspects toSaturn, and a respite from Sagittarian lifetimes. Therefore, if a chart with Sagittarius related to thetwelfth house shows signs of a karmic debt as well as strength in earth or a strong Saturn, it is likelyto have been chosen to balance irresponsibility or carelessness. On the other hand, if the chart doesnot support caution and responsibility, it may mean that the individual experienced the results ofsomeone elses irresponsibility in a former lifetime. In that case, repayment may be received in thatlifetime.CapricornWhen this sign is related to the twelfth house, it may indicate a karmic debt involving a death. Beingresponsible for someones death is as serious as any offense. However, whether or not it wasintentional is important in determining the extent of the debt and the lesson needed to balance it. 19

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The planets in the house, the twelfth house ruler’s house and sign, and aspects to these planets maydescribe the circumstances surrounding the death. The subject of killing brings up the question of whether executioners, soldiers, and abortionistsincur karma. Some karma is incurred in each of these instances, but these forms of killing are not onthe same level as murder. Nevertheless, we incur societal karma by belonging to a society thatallows these things. Of these three types of killing, abortion is the least serious because in almostevery case the soul has not entered the body yet. When someone is killed, the person responsible may need to gain an appreciation for thepreciousness of human life. One way of teaching this is for the person to experience his or her ownlife cut short or to lose a loved one. If the death was unintentional, what is needed depends on theindividual and what caused the death. Those who were killed may benefit from fire in their charts to give them more courage andconfidence. Violent or sudden deaths invariably leave the victim with a sense of vulnerability anddistrust. As a result, victims charts are not likely to have a strong Capricorn theme, which wouldonly increase their fear. By studying the rest of the chart and using our imaginations and intuition,we can often determine whether the chart belongs to the perpetrator or the victim.AquariusWhen this sign is related to the twelfth house, it may indicate a karmic debt resulting from sudden,accidental injury or death caused by impatience or a lack of judgment. Many of these kinds ofmistakes never need balancing because the negative consequences teach what needs to be learned.However some people, especially those who blame others for their mistakes, may need furtherlessons and a chart that encourages caution and self-restraint. In that case, the rest of the chart willbear that out. On the other hand, if the chart belongs to the victim of someone elses careless action,the rest of the chart will encourage confidence and courage rather than caution and patience.PiscesWhen this sign is related to the twelfth house, emotional damage or neglect may be responsible for akarmic debt. With Pisces, the emotional damage is not likely to have been inflicted intentionally orviolently. More likely, it resulted from not being able to provide care because of mental illness,physical disability, mental retardation, or drug or alcohol addiction. The balancing depends on what was underlying the neglect. If it was due to drug or alcoholaddiction, being born to alcoholic parents is a common remedy. This provides an opportunity fordeveloping empathy and for facing this problem again in order to overcome it once and for all. Ifmore ego-strength or practical abilities are needed, an earthy chart will help. However, because 20

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ego-strength is a function of soul-age, the individual may need more experience with life beforebeing able to cope with the world. If a physical or mental handicap was responsible for the neglect,the situation is more complex. The soul analyzes each situation to determine what is needed. Victims of neglect will have to learn to see themselves as other than victims. To accomplishthis, the chart and childhood circumstances must be chosen carefully to balance feelings ofunworthiness. A loving and attentive family coupled with a fiery chart and a favorably placedJupiter for ease can do much to offset such damage. 21

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CHAPTER 2 The Life Task and the Life LessonThe life task and the life lesson are related and usually cannot be adequately understood withoutregarding them as such. It will be necessary, however, to describe separately how the life task andthe life lesson are revealed in the chart. Since the Moons nodes are key in understanding both, aswell as their relationship, lets begin by looking at what they represent.THE MOONS NODESThe Moons nodes convey a single message about the life task, what might be used in it, and whatmight interfere with it. The life task will use the characteristics of the North Nodes sign and berelated to the area of life designated by the North Nodes house. Inhibiting factors will becharacteristics represented by the South Nodes sign and the area of life designated by the SouthNodes house as well as challenging aspects to the North Node. The Moons nodes are the two points where the Moons orbit intersects the plane of the ecliptic.They are associated with emotional, nurturing relationships because of their connection with theMoon. The transits of the Moons nodes affect our primary relationships, particularly our familialand love relationships. These transits often bring new, significant relationships into our lives orremove those that no longer serve our Plan. Because our primary relationships are deeply tied to our lessons and to our Plan, it is notsurprising that a connection exists between our lessons, our life task, and our relationships and thatthe Moons nodes represent all three. Nearly every lesson and life task includes at least one otherperson. Fulfillment of a karmic debt, for instance, is nearly always carried out within a relationship.The personalitys basic lessons, to be covered in the next chapter, need others as foils as well. Othersalso help us eliminate our negative patterns by modeling new behaviors. Even lessons pertaining tobeing alone are accomplished by contrasting aloneness with companionship. Our life lessons andour life tasks are irrevocably intertwined with others, who act as teachers, foils, and co-creators inour drama. 22

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THE CHART THEMESThe chart themes in concert with the Moons nodes and Saturn describe both the life task and thelife lesson. The themes, represented primarily by the prominent signs of the chart, reveal bothour lessons and the gifts likely to be used in the life task depending on the development of thesigns representing them. Signs that have been chosen repeatedly in past lives are more developedand as a result more likely to be expressed positively. The more lifetimes spent with a sign, thegreater the attunement to that energy and the easier it is to express it skillfully. Our gifts are the positive characteristics of our most developed signs, while our lessons orchallenges are the negative characteristics of our least developed signs. This means that if we havea concentration of planets in a highly developed sign, we will be especially gifted in the talents ofthat sign. These gifts will undoubtedly be used in our life task and in overcoming our challenges. Onthe other hand, if we have a concentration of planets in an undeveloped sign, we will be confrontedrepeatedly with the lessons of that sign. How a sign is expressed depends on more than just past life experience. Stressful circumstancesmake it more likely that we will express the negative side of the signs in our chart, or at least thenegative side of the more undeveloped ones. Age is another factor: the younger we are, the lesslikely we are to express our chart skillfully. Determining which signs in a chart are problematic and which ones are not is not always easy.The main clues are found in the sign and house placements of Saturn and the South Node, and thesigns on the eighth and twelfth house cusps. Each of these signs and houses represents potentiallyproblematic psychological tendencies developed in former lifetimes. Of course, the individual cantell you how he or she is expressing the chart. However, keep in mind that someone who has nothad a Saturn return (which occurs between ages 28 and 29) may be expressing a sign negativelysimply out of immaturity. Beyond this, intuition must be your guide. The themes are uncovered by noting the signs of the Ascendant and the personal planets (theSun, the Moon, Mercury, Venus, and Mars), which houses are most heavily occupied by planets,and which planets are placed on an angle (conjunct the Ascendant, Midheaven, Descendant, orNadir) or most heavily aspected. Nearly every chart has at least one prominent theme, many haveseveral, and only a few have no major theme but many minor ones.THE LIFE TASKEach of us has a task to accomplish in life. It may or may not involve our occupation, but it is oftenrelated to it. There are many different kinds of life tasks. The life task can be as simple as learning tocook and take care of oneself or as complex as discovering DNA, with no life task being moreimportant than another. Whatever the life task, its value lies in the contribution it makes toward our 23

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evolution. Although the life task is not spelled out specifically before life, it is identifiable in ageneral way in the chart through the themes and the North Node. To understand the North Nodes message, we need to note its sign, its house, its rulers sign andhouse, and aspects to it and its ruler, as well as the houses related by aspect to it and its ruler.Synthesizing these factors with the chart themes provides a general idea of the life task. These factors point to the life task, but they will never reveal exactly what it is because it hasn’tbeen created yet. Only occasionally, when the life task is a continuation of an earlier one, are thespecifics laid out before life. We are not here to live out a predetermined plan but to create our livesthrough our choices and to learn from these choices. Lets take, for example, the North Node in the third house. What we know about this placementis that the life task will involve learning or teaching or both. The subjects of interest to thisindividual will be described by the themes in the chart and the other signs and houses related to theNorth Node. For instance, someone with the North Node in the third house and five planets in theeighth house may study and eventually teach others about psychology, metaphysics, sex, or moneymanagement. This is especially true if one of those eighth-house planets is the ruler of the NorthNodes sign or related by aspect to the North Node. The North Nodes house and related houses describe the areas of life that will involve the lifetask. The North Nodes sign and related signs indicate qualities that will be needed and furtherrefined by the life task. These qualities will be exercised while pursuing the life task and thereforefurther developed. Nevertheless, to some extent, the house and sign placements are interchangeable.(E.g., The North Node in the first house is similar to the North Node in Aries, the North Node in thesecond house is similar to the North Node in Taurus, and so on.) So, keep this in mind in delineatingthe nodes.THE NORTH NODE IN THE HOUSES AND SIGNSThe North Node in the First House or in AriesThis placement of the North Node indicates the importance of initiative and independent action tothe life task. Those with this placement must develop their independence, initiative, individualism,and leadership skills to fulfill their life task. The life task often requires courage and individualinitiative and might involve pioneering or discovery. Developing themselves and creating a strongidentity are important to balance dependency in former lifetimes. They need to learn to follow theirimpulses and drives, and be the master of their own destiny. And they need the freedom to pursuetheir natural inclinations. If initiative and self-development are not undertaken and dependence onothers persists, they will find themselves in situations demanding greater independence andinitiative. 24

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The North Node in the Second House or in TaurusThose with this placement need to develop a sense of identity and self-worth. Becoming aware ofwhat they value and want, and creating or building something that reflects that is important forthem. These individuals need to build something that is of tangible value and earn their own waywith their talents. Financial self-sufficiency is important. This placement indicates the need todevelop or refine a talent. The life task may involve developing or using a specific skill or talent.The talent may or may not be an artistic one depending on the rest of the chart. With this placement,the focus is on self-development, self-sufficiency, and self-reliance, as it is with the North Node inthe first house or in Aries, and either enhancing the individuals resources or using resources alreadydeveloped to produce something of merit.The North Node in the Third House or in GeminiThose with this placement are learning to analyze and think logically. Open-mindedness andattention to facts are important to balance intolerance and blind faith in former lifetimes. They alsoneed to get out of their “ivory tower” and learn to live in society. In this lifetime, they are learning tolisten to others and to communicate the wisdom that they gained in their many lifetimes as seekersand philosophers. Their challenge is putting their understanding into concrete terms that others canunderstand. The life task is likely to involve either the accumulation of knowledge or the dispensingof it by teaching, writing, or speaking. Whether it concerns learning or teaching depends on theindividuals development and intellectual resources. In any event, it will use and develop theindividuals powers of reason and ability to communicate.The North Node in the Fourth House or in CancerThose with this placement are exploring and developing the personal side of life: home, family,feelings, and caring for others. Home and family may have been neglected in former lifetimes indeference to work or to achieving their goals. This placement attempts to balance this by focusingattention on the personal sphere. This lifetime is one of caring for others and being cared for. Theyare learning to nurture, nourish, and support others and to be more aware of feelings—both theirsand other people’s. They need to learn to be vulnerable and show how they feel and not try tocontrol situations, which is what they are used to doing. If the personal sphere continues to beneglected, these individuals are likely to find themselves struggling with their work until they cometo terms with this imbalance. The life task is likely to involve aspects of themselves that are beingdeveloped through their personal, emotional life and may even involve someone in their immediatefamily. It also may involve psychic work or work with the emotions or the unconscious. 25

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The North Node in the Fifth House or in LeoIn former lifetimes, those with this placement relied on intellectual objectivity and a scientificapproach, usually to the detriment of their own playfulness, spontaneity, and self-expression. Theyspent their time in intellectual pursuits, divorced from the juicy-ness and fun of life. Now, they needto follow their heart and put matters of the heart over matters of the head. This is a lifetime forlearning to love personally and not only universally as they did in the past. They also need todevelop their individuality and go after what they want rather than put their energy behind otherpeople’s dreams or group efforts, as they did in former lifetimes. They were the ones who followedthe lead of others and supported their causes. Now, it is time for self-development, creativity, self-expression, love, fun, play, and joy. Children, creativity, entertainment, games, or romance arelikely to be important to the life task.The North Node in the Sixth House or in VirgoThose with this placement spent many lifetimes secluded from the world in monasteries, prisons, orasylums; lost in visions, drugs, meditation, dreams, or creativity; or dependent and helpless. Fromthese experiences, they developed their compassion, imagination, and psychic sensitivity. Now, theyneed to develop practical skills and the ability to handle day-to-day obligations. They need to learnto be in the world and to embrace routines and mundane responsibilities. Their challenge is to find away to apply their compassion and sensitivity practically in the world to serve others. The sixthhouse and Virgo pertain to self-development through service to others. The North Nodes placementhere indicates a life task involving service, including menial service. Because the sixth house andVirgo also rule health and diet, another possibility is work in the healing professions, particularlythose related to physical healing. It also could refer to a life task that requires analysis, attention todetail, organization, or craftsmanship.The North Node in the Seventh House or in LibraThose with this placement need to use the confidence, courage, self-assertion, and leadershipskills that they developed in former lifetimes to encourage, support, and empower others and tocreate harmony and peace among people. The life task might involve counseling, consulting,diplomacy, mediation, beauty, or the arts. They might help others fight their battles or work forpeace or create more beauty in the world rather than fighting for themselves, as they did in theirmany lifetimes as a warrior. Rather than focusing on themselves and their own needs, this is alifetime of being helpful to others. They need to become aware of the needs of others and learnto cooperate and share. In other lifetimes, they explored their own power and gave themselves 26

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the gift of self-development; now, they are learning the power of giving to others. They arelearning to be more selfless. They are here to empower others rather than themselves and in sodoing magnetize to them the love and attention they long for. Life will bring them opportunitiesfor relationship because that is the means for their development in this lifetime. This placementindicates that relationships will serve a primary role in their growth. It may be that the life taskwill be accomplished through relationships or through a specific partnership.The North Node in the Eighth House or in ScorpioThose with this placement are shifting from material values to spiritual values, from ownership tojoint ownership, and from a focus on self-development to partnership. In this lifetime, they aren’tmeant to accumulate for themselves alone but to share their wealth and work with others to furthertheir security. They are here to support others and to help them build something and manifest theirdreams. They can get rich by joining their talents and resources with others, but not alone. The lifetask is likely to use their excellent insight and talent for getting to the bottom of things, and mayrelate to psychology, the occult, research, or detective work. Banking, investments, and insuranceare other possibilities. These are all ways that they can join with others to improve their financialcondition. The life task also may involve work related to growth, sex, healing, change, crisisintervention, reform, death, or transformation. They thrive on the potential for personal growthprovided by crises, emergencies, and brushes with death. This placement also entails growththrough relationships, especially those requiring intimacy, sexuality, or any sharing of resources.With this placement, the life task may entail either a business partnership or an intimate partnership.The North Node in the Ninth House or in SagittariusThose with this placement need to learn to go beyond logic and trust their intuition. Their tendencyfrom past lives is to seek answers from books and other people. In this lifetime, however, they needto learn to go within for answers. They are learning to trust themselves, find their own truth, andspeak it. They are learning to communicate higher truths, not facts. This is a lifetime devoted tospiritual questing. Their life task may relate to bringing the truth they uncover to others through theministry, the law, teaching, writing, speaking, publishing, psychic readings, or channeling. Manywith this placement feel a sense of mission. They are here to provide inspiration, hope, faith, and aspiritual perspective. They see the big picture and are driven to share it with others. Spending timein nature refreshes them, where they are able to quiet their minds and contact their higher guidance.Foreign travel is another means by which they broaden themselves, expand their consciousness, anddevelop their understanding of life. 27

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The North Node in the Tenth House or in CapricornThis placement indicates the need to be involved in the world and in a career. Those with thisplacement need to learn to set goals and achieve them. They are learning to take responsibilityfor their lives rather than depend on others for their care and identity, as they did in formerlifetimes. The focus now is on self-sufficiency and self-development through a career. The lifetask will develop their ability to manage and lead, and use the sensitivity and attunement toothers they developed in previous lifetimes. In this lifetime, they must be the one who takescharge. In the past, their tendency was to manipulate people with their emotions. Now, they arelearning to control and manage situations instead of people and to balance their emotions withrational thought. The career is likely to be central to the life task and may even be identical to it.The North Node in the Eleventh House or in AquariusThose with this placement need to place humanitarian concerns over their own personal desires anddrives. They have creative talents, leadership skills, a strong will, passion, and determination fromprevious lifetimes, which they need to use in this one to further a cause or the collective good. Theirown personal will needs to be made subordinate to the group or put to use by the group for the goodof all. They are learning to cooperate with others to manifest their own dreams or the ideals of agroup. The life task is likely to be involved with a cause, a group endeavor, new ideas, science,technology, astrology, or computers. It is likely to use and further develop their rational mind andobjectivity. The gifts they have to offer the world are their idealism, dreams, originality, inventions,new ideas, future vision, and fresh perspective.The North Node in the Twelfth House or in PiscesThose with this placement are developing their spiritual awareness and understanding. They arepursuing spiritual truth, which usually requires solitude. Their search may result in their becomingspiritual healers or teachers, psychotherapists, psychics, artists, musicians, monks, or nuns. Theirlife task might involve working with the unconscious, dreams, meditation, or altered states ofconsciousness. Another possibility is working with the mentally ill or in a hospital or institution, orserving humanity some other way. They are here to bring the spiritual dimension into everyday life.Their gifts are imagination, creativity, insight, intuition, inspiration, and spiritual understanding.They are learning to see the larger picture and to trust that a higher purpose is at work in life. Thiswill balance their past-life tendency to worry and get lost in details. They also are learning to getanswers through their intuition rather than through rational analysis, as they did in former lifetimes.When the North Node is here, sometimes the life task relates to balancing a karmic debt. 28

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The North Node in Pisces: devotion to service, intuition, imagination, creativity, compassion,idealism, spiritual awareness and understanding The characteristics listed above apply to the method in which the life task is carried out. Thesecharacteristics are likely to be used in other areas too, but they are particularly important to the lifetask. Generally, both the characteristics of the North Nodes sign and the characteristics of the mostdeveloped sign or signs in the chart will be used in the life task.THE LIFE LESSONJust as the life task can be seen in the chart, so can the life lesson. Three kinds of lessons contributeto the life lesson: 1) those related to a karmic debt (if one exists), 2) those necessary for humanevolution, and 3) those needed to balance negative patterns established in former lifetimes. In the first chapter, we saw how the karmic debt might be read in the chart. In the next chapterwe will see what basic lessons of human evolution each sign describes. In this section, we will seehow Saturn and the South Node describe the third type of lesson, those serving to balanceentrenched negative patterns from the past. Keep in mind that all three varieties of lessonscontribute to one central lesson that will be referred to as the life lesson or life challenge. Each lifehas a life lesson that encompasses these three types of lessons. The life lesson can be read in the chart by synthesizing the South Node, Saturn, and the themes.These chart factors describe one life challenge or, less commonly, two or three related ones. If morethan one challenge exists, the same past life experience is likely to have been responsible for themall. The stressful aspects, particularly the squares, are one other source of information useful inconfirming the life lesson. They are important because they often depict the internal conflicts thatare part of the life challenge. Planets that are square each other act as foils to each other and demandthat issues be faced. The issues these aspects bring to light, especially the aspects between the outerplanets and a personal planet, often fit with those of Saturn, the South Node, and the themes. Saturn and the South Node both portray negative patterns from the past, usually related, that maythwart the life task. Saturn points to a fear or an issue from a former lifetime that needs overcoming,while the South Node depicts characteristics or tendencies developed in former lifetimes that mayinterfere with growth or with accomplishing the life task. When we interpret the South Node or Saturn, or any other chart factor, we have to synthesize itssign, its house, the aspects to it and their houses and signs, and the house it rules. Generally, Saturnand the South Nodes sign indicate problems with that sign. However, which characteristics are aproblem and to what degree vary with soul age and other influences. 30

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Although both Saturns sign and the South Nodes are likely to be problematic, this will be true indifferent ways and for different reasons. The South Nodes sign is often a sign with which we havehad so much experience that we may have neglected its opposite sign (or other signs) and becomeentrenched in some of the South Node signs negative expressions while developing its gifts. Evenso, some older souls manage to have the gifts of the South Nodes sign without its negativetendencies. The same could be said about the North Nodes sign: how it will be expressed dependson past life experience with that sign. The North Nodes sign may be relatively undeveloped or, inan older soul, it may represent gifts. Regardless of the individuals level of development, the South Nodes sign represents qualitieswe must learn to express positively and integrate with the North Nodes positive qualities. I highlyrecommend reading what Tracy Marks has written on the Moons nodes and how to integrate thesigns and houses involved. Since I cannot say it better than she already has, I refer you to her bookThe Astrology of Self-Discovery to supplement the information in this chapter. The South Nodes house, like its sign, represents an area of life in which we may have beenoverly focused to the detriment of other areas, making it necessary now to focus on the area of lifein which the North Node is found. Here again, depending on the individuals development andexperiences, the degree to which this area of life is a problem will vary. But for anyone, the messageis to focus on the North Nodes house and integrate the area of life represented by the South Nodeinto the North Nodes affairs. Saturn’s house or sign represents a fear that needs healing or a lesson that needs to be learned orboth. The rest of the chart will provide clues about which interpretation applies. For example,someone with Saturn in the fifth house or in Leo may have difficulty expressing himself because ina former lifetime he met with violence or death for doing that. In this lifetime, he will have to workto overcome this fear. The remainder of his chart is likely to be strong in fire to help him. Someoneelse with Saturn in the fifth house or in Leo might have misused his powers of self-expression in aformer lifetime. In that case, Saturn represents lessons concerning self-expression. The remainder ofhis chart will reflect water rather than fire to develop sensitivity and compassion.In summary,Saturns House A. Represents an area of life in which we will meet our karma or lessons. We are likely to be tested in this area to help us learn a lesson needed to balance a past act, or perhaps just to learn something. Whatever we need to learn will be delivered through this area of life. Consequently, we may be asked to take on added burdens or responsibilities in 31

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this area. These challenges also may have been freely chosen by an older soul in the hope of accelerating his or her evolution. B. May represent an area of life in which fear has developed because of a negative experience in a past life. Life is likely to bring us what we need for our healing and reward any efforts to overcome our fear. It will be important to try to overcome any fears in this area. C. Represents an area of life related to the career and possibly to the life task if they are related.Saturns Sign A. Represents a weakness or negative quality that has caused problems in previous lifetimes and which may cause problems in this one as well. (E.g., Saturn in Leo may represent a misuse of ones will. Saturn in Virgo may represent an overly critical attitude.) The negative quality, which may be mild or extreme, may create the need for further trials or lessons. What makes interpretation difficult is that the characteristic may be any one of the many negative expressions of Saturns sign. B. May represent a fear based on a bad experience in a past life and the negative quality that developed or a positive quality that failed to develop as a result of that fear. The bad experience may or may not be related to Saturns sign, but the results affect the expression of Saturns sign. (E.g., Saturn in Aries may represent not being able to take action because acting assertively in the past had negative results. Saturn in Pisces may indicate a fear of letting go from formerly having lost oneself to mental illness.) C. Represents qualities related to the career and possibly to the life task if they are related. Saturns sign and house must be examined with these various possibilities in mind. The only wayto determine which role or roles Saturn is playing in a chart is to examine the other chart factors anduse your intuition. 32

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Saturn and the South Node in the SignsThe sign in which Saturn or the South Node is found describes negative traits from formerlifetimes, which may thwart the life task. The "a," "b," and "c" below correspond to the threepossible meanings just mentioned:Saturn in Aries:a) misuse of one’s will, domineering, uncooperative, self-centered, selfish, impatient, impulsiveb) fear of self-assertion, lack of couragec) work related to science, inventions, athletics, pioneering, or the militaryThe South Node in Aries: selfishness, self-absorption, self-centeredness, lack of awareness ofother people’s needs, lack of cooperation, contentiousness, aggressiveness, impulsiveness,impatienceSaturn in Taurus:a) misuse of ones resources, wasteful, greedy, miserly, materialistic, hedonistic, stubborn,narrow-mindedb) fear of poverty, hoardingc) work related to business, banking, agriculture, architecture, or the artsThe South Node in Taurus: hedonism, attachment to pleasures and comforts,materialistic, greedy or miserly, lacking vision and a spiritual outlook, possessiveness, stubbornness,resistance to change, inability to let go of thingsSaturn in Gemini:a) misuse of ones power of communication and influenceb) fear of expressing oneself, feelings of intellectual inferiority, shynessc) work related to communication, transportation, writing, or teachingThe South Node in Gemini: lack of focus, indecisiveness, superficiality, lack of perspective and aphilosophical approach, changing too easily, not following through 33

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The South Node in Aquarius: being a follower, lack of passion and emotion, emotionaldetachment, impractical idealismSaturn in Pisces:a) hypersensitive, overly emotional, anxious, paranoid, neurotic, moody, depressed, negativeb) fear of feelings, repressed feelings, fear of the subconscious and the supernatural, fear of losingones mind, lack of faith and a spiritual orientationc) work related to healing, mental health, hospitals, institutions, spirituality, creativity, or serviceThe South Node in Pisces: escapism, irresponsibility, impracticality, over-sensitivity, passivity,dependency, over-emotionality, irrationality, confusion, lack of discrimination, being a victim When reading the interpretations that follow of Saturn in the houses and signs, please understandthat not everyones lessons are a result of negative actions in past lives. An older soul may choose aparticular challenge for growth rather than out of the need to balance a past act or attitude. Alsokeep in mind that any karma being balanced may be nearly released, which would result in only amild manifestation of the lesson. So, although the worst possibilities must be mentioned, mostpeople do not experience them. And finally, take comfort in knowing that no one is alone in havingmade mistakes. Each of us has made nearly every mistake imaginable in our efforts to evolve. Saturns house and sign are also indicators of the career as well as the life task if they are thesame. However, this information is not included in the following descriptions.SATURN IN THE HOUSES AND SIGNSSaturn in the First House or in AriesThis placement may indicate a fear of self-expression or self-assertion resulting from a past lifeexperience in which this caused pain or suffering. This fear manifests as feelings of insecurity, lackof confidence or courage, shyness, awkwardness, and an inability to assert oneself. The cure lies ininvolvement with others, since this provides opportunities for self-assertion and gaining confidence.Solitary activity only reinforces the individuals self-focus and fear of others. This placement also may indicate an abuse of will in a former lifetime, which is being balancedby frustrations and delays in attaining ones goals. The individual’s will is thwarted, and throughthese frustrations, humility and empathy are acquired. When Saturn is conjunct the Ascendant in the first house, it often coincides with a difficult birthand the resultant sense that the world is not a safe or welcoming place. This contributes to a 36

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pessimistic and defeatist attitude, which may become a self-fulfilling prophecy. These individualshave to fight to overcome their negativity and to assert their will toward their goals.Saturn in the Second House or in TaurusWith this placement, there may be a fear of poverty and a sense of never having enough resultingfrom an experience of scarcity in a past life. Of course, this also could be the result of being borninto poverty in the current lifetime. Everyone has experienced or will experience scarcity at sometime. For some, this placement represents a choice to work through this issue now. Others may bebalancing a past life of hoarding or materialism. Both experiences—greed and poverty—are likelyto manifest as a drive to accumulate wealth, resulting in lessons about what is of true value. Thosewith this placement are bound to learn that no amount of money can buy security or a sense of self-worth, which can only come from within. These lessons may be delivered by having great wealthand losing it, by experiencing the emptiness of material satisfaction, or through frustrations anddelays in attaining it.Saturn in the Third House or in GeminiThis placement may symbolize a number of different fears originating either in a past life or thisone. Those with this placement may have a fear of traveling resulting from a transportation accidentor tragedy that occurred while traveling. Or they might be afraid of expressing themselves, speakingto a group, or learning as a result of being punished for talking, reading, or learning. These fearsmay manifest as stuttering, shyness, poor performance in school, or a sense of inadequacy aboutthemselves and their mental capabilities. Many with this placement work hard to develop their intellectual and verbal abilities in anattempt to conquer their sense of shame and feelings of inferiority. Once they have overcome theirhandicap, many excel in scholarly tasks. They can be excellent teachers because of their compassionand understanding. They turn their weakness into a strength, which is common with issuessurrounding Saturn. Others may have misused their power of communication or prevented others from learning orspeaking in a past life and will meet with lessons to balance this. Sometimes, this balancing isaccomplished by restricting the individual’s ability to communicate, which might manifest asspeech or hearing problems, learning problems, or even mental retardation. 37